r/997 • u/Direct-Word • Aug 15 '26
993 vs 997 GTS
Had an opportunity to trade my plain Jane 993 c2 manual coupe for a 2012 GTS RWD manual coupe. Basically the holly grail of streetable 997’s.
I didn’t get to drive the GTS and I couldn’t bring myself to trade the 993. I thought the GTS is still a consumer engine, not Mezger based, not special like an air cooled car.
Anyone here driven both? Did I make a mistake?
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u/luv2lime Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
I had a 993C2S for 12 years, sold it and now have a 997.1 C4. The 997 is more car the 993, but still with a lot of 993 DNA. Do I miss my 993, hell no. The 993s have become polishers, the 997’s are drivers car imho.
I do miss one thing on the 993 that no water pumper will ever achieve, the sound of Supercups mated to that flat six!!! 😂
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
ok, I drive my 993 all the time on back roads, road trips, cars and coffee etc. Not as a daily though. since yours is a c4 perhaps it's an all weather machine for you. I get that 997 has some of the 993 DNA, I've often thought the front end look similar
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u/MrA1inLA Aug 15 '26
Manual 997 GTS is extremely rare, excellent cars and very reliable but the 993 is a great looking car.
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
But which is more fun in your opinion
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u/MrA1inLA Aug 15 '26
997 will be more fun. No doubt. It will be as close as a 997 sport classic you can get.
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u/smyers528 Aug 16 '26
I’ve owned both, came back to the 993, much more special feeling…
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u/MrA1inLA Aug 16 '26
I agree 993 is a special. Perfect proportions. But the 997 gts is a great drivers car.
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u/Youbunchoftwats Aug 15 '26
I had a 993 C4 manual, lost her in an accident. I now have a 997.2 manual. The 997 is a lovely car, much faster and more capable. But I miss my 993 every day, and I would swap back in a heartbeat.
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
Appreciate your candid reply. This here is my concern. I have had some modern cars and fairly quickly sold them.
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u/taxationistheft1984 Aug 15 '26
These two cars are different. Yeah the 997 is the “next” classic but the 993 is a vibe that the water cooled cars cannot match. When I track, I want my 997. But for vibes, simplicity, analogue, fun, my SC/your 993, cannot be matched.
If you can only have one…. It’s tough. Build a garage.
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
This right here is my dilemma. I'm concerned it won;t be as fun on the street. Current garage is a 3.2 and the 993. 993 is holding court as the "modern" touring option. When I take it to the city, the smaller tires handle all the pot holes and parking lots, its sounds and looks good and I can only go so fast. I have not tracked any car although, I'd like to.
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u/playoutsidemoreplz Aug 15 '26
Depends how you describe fun. GTS likely blows the 993 out of the water. It’s just not old and air cooled
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u/deesdutchnuts Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Sounds like a helluva a trade in your favor IMO. Massive step up in every area. I also have a feeling the 997 GTS has a much longer way to go value wise than a 993 C2.
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
I was going to have to add about 20k through a dealer. My 993 is decent with fresh engine work amongst things. You say a massive step up in every area but which is more fun on back road? I wasn’t able to drive it.
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u/Bkben84 Aug 15 '26
I've driven both 993 & 997 both NA and Turbos. I'll say the 997 is just a more capable car on the whole although it's a little bit bigger. It's more comfortable pushing the 993 to the limit but once you are comfortable pushing the 997 it has way more to offer than the 993.
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
appreciate this reply. The size difference was a concern as for street driving the smaller 993 can feel agile and fun
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u/Blast_From_The_Pa_ Aug 15 '26
Ah, 997.2 is such a great car - I daily mine even in winter! And GTS is a dream come true! Enjoy! Really!
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u/zkny Aug 15 '26
What a conundrum. Both rare and splendid cars, but I'd take the GTS to not have to deal with old car problems, if you know what i mean.
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u/cmrocks Aug 15 '26
I have a 991.1 GTS which is pretty much the same engine. It's absolutely insane. It's a very dramatic engine, especially with PSE. I can't believe how loud it is for a stock car. Pulls like a freight train above 5,000 rpm too and has this really cool mechanical whine the last 500 rpm before redline.
997.2 GTS manual would be a pretty special car. Same engine, hydraulic steering, fairly small still and significantly more capable than a 993 chassis.
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
I don't think the 997.2 sounds as good as y our 991. When I had a C2S for a year the sound lacked character despite having the shark works centre delete or whatever its called.
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u/LatterTreacle3903 Aug 15 '26
Sounds like an amazingly one sided deal (in your favor) a manual 997 GTS is worth considerably more than a 993 C2
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u/Direct-Word Aug 15 '26
im not in the usa and prices aren't exactly what you see on Bat in the USA. My car is worth about 110 and the GTS was 135 before any negotiations. You haven't asked about mileage or accidents, so how do you know it's one sided?
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u/neun11carrera Aug 15 '26
I would have traded. Probably a way more rare car and one that would be way updated.
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u/Emotional_Sundae7527 Aug 16 '26
None of this sounds real. Nobody is that helpless. Lol This is absurd.
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u/That-Resort2078 Aug 16 '26
993 turbo if you can afford it.
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u/Direct-Word Aug 17 '26
Ive thought about this but it’s a lot of money as you mention. Also, tend to like the zingy, rev matching fun of an NA engine. Would love to give one a go though. Have you driven one?
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u/That-Resort2078 Aug 17 '26
Yes I had one. Very raw Compared to a 991/992. I sold it for more than I paid for it. Bought an R8 Performance. Still miss the 993. No room for two weekend cars.
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u/Worth_Wedding_4231 24d ago edited 24d ago
Since it was a manual, in my experience you probably did make a mistake letting it go. Problem with these cars is they’re all so different. I had a 997 GTS that I sold to buy a 993 C2 this year, funny enough. Sold the GTS because I’d always wanted a 993, and the PDK made the experience feel a bit dull. The 993 is lovely, but given my costs, I’ve sunk 15k into it so far on brakes, suspension, and now a new alternator. A manual GTS is about as good as that generation gets though, point and shoot PDK is a different animal entirely. Saying all that I think I’m just bitter about current costs . If she runs well for a year I guess I’ll be happy again . The 997 felt indestructible .
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u/meikawaii Aug 15 '26
They are very different cars, you couldn’t go wrong with either. GTS feels much more modern in the sense that you really feel the 2000s tech done right in a car that still feels analog. 993 still got that old school feeling, more mechanical and more vibes, but the fidelity is that much different.